Protecting Rivers & Your Clean Water
Floods, Droughts and Agriculture
Fay Augustyn, Conservation Associate
April 29, 2013 | Climate Change, Water Supply
Agriculture is part of the bedrock of American life. It provides food for our tables, jobs for our citizens, and it supports a significant chunk of our economy. U.S. agricultural exports alone generate more than $100 billion annually in business activity in the U.S., and provide jobs for nearly one million workers.
Read more »As Flooding Risks Rise, Communities Can Take Steps to Prepare
Fay Augustyn, Conservation Associate
April 24, 2013 | Floods & Floodplains, Climate Change
Across much of the Midwest, rising waters and flash flooding are threatening public safety, homes and businesses, farmland, and commerce and transportation. Torrential rains late last week sent many rivers over the tops of their banks in Michigan, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, and Missouri. In Illinois alone, 44 counties have been declared state disaster areas. As towns begin to clean up the debris and damage, the threat of more rain could pose additional flooding risks and as floodwaters make their way downstream, other communities could be in jeopardy.
Read more »Rivers Endangered in the Face of Climate Change
Fay Augustyn, Conservation Associate
April 23, 2013 | Most Endangered Rivers, Climate Change, Water Supply
Drought. A word that has been spread across news headlines, felt by cities, and argued about between upstream and downstream farm communities. Last year’s drought affected 65% of the country, specifically impacting over 2000 counties. While the water shortages may be “out of sight, out of mind” in many drought stricken areas, remembering past droughts and the effects they have on local residents and communities is essential for future sustainability.
Read more »Getting Climate Smart!
Fay Augustyn, Conservation Associate
April 22, 2013 | Climate Change, Stormwater & Sewage, Water Supply
Last year, drought wreaked havoc across more than 65% of the country. Wildfires blazed through 9.2 million acres of the west, crops suffered across the Midwest and 2012 topped out as the hottest year on record. While the fall and winter of 2012 provided the country with much needed wet weather, Mother Nature didn’t produce quite enough to break the drought.
Read more »Outdated Water Management on the Colorado River Need to be Updated for this Century
Jessie Thomas-Blate, Coordinator, Most Endangered Rivers
April 19, 2013 | Climate Change, Most Endangered Rivers, Water Supply
As farmers in Colorado’s North Fork Valley, my husband Jason and I know full well that the waters of the Colorado River are the lifeblood of agriculture for us as well as many Western farmers in the seven basin states. Outdated water management requires us to "use it or lose it", which does not make sense in this century.
Read more »Smarter Farming Leads to More Water for Rivers
Jessie Thomas-Blate, Coordinator, Most Endangered Rivers
April 18, 2013 | Climate Change, Most Endangered Rivers, Water Supply
My family lived in Denver for many years and one day on a trip to Grand Junction in 2008 we fell in love with and then bought the Mesa Park Vineyards in Palisade, Colorado. Our operation is a small, family-owned and run business. The farm is 10 acres total, and we focus on creating superior wines— over a 1000 cases per year. To produce the plump grapes we need for our winemaking, we rely heavily on a healthy flowing Colorado River.
Read more »A Paddler’s Perspective on Protecting the Colorado River
Jessie Thomas-Blate, Coordinator, Most Endangered Rivers
April 18, 2013 | Climate Change, Most Endangered Rivers, Water Supply
O.A.R.S., a family-owned river rafting company, has been running trips on the Colorado River since 1969. During the last 44 years, we have guided over 50,000 vacationers on river trips on the Colorado and its tributaries. Healthy river flows are crucial to our business and countless others in the Colorado River corridor. These businesses serve clients who want to spend recreational time experiencing the excitement, tranquility, and restorative value of the river each year.
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